Ipswich 3-1 Blackburn: Match Report

03 December 2013 10:31

Ipswich moved up to eighth in the Sky Bet Championship after claiming their first home win since the end of September at the expense of a poor Blackburn side.

Luke Hyam and Carlos Edwards grabbed early goals at the start of each half - Jordan Rhodes scoring his 11th of the season in between - before Frank Nouble wrapped up a 3-1 win following a horrendous error by Rovers goalkeeper Jake Kean.

The home side took the lead with just three minutes and 42 seconds on the clock - but had already survived an even earlier scare when Rovers striker DJ Campbell turned in the area but was denied by a great one-handed save from Dean Gerken.

Instead it was the home side who enjoyed more success in front of goal when Tommy Smith's deep cross was headed away by Tommy Spurr but Hyam was perfectly positioned on the edge of the area to rifle low beyond Kean.

Town were on top and David McGoldrick's penchant for shooting from range was again evident but his left-footed drive fizzed wide of Kean's right post with 14 minutes played.

Ipswich skipper Edwards also went close from the edge of the area before the home side fell for a sucker punch from their former player.

Scott Dann's long ball seemed innocuously but as the Town defence stood still, Rhodes ran on to round Gerken and tap into the empty net.

It was Rhodes' first goal in five against the club who sold him for just B#350,000 four years ago.

After a flat finish to the first half, Ipswich took just one minute to regain their lead following another lightning start.

Great work by Stephen Hunt inside the area was initially halted by Grant Hanley but the loose ball fell to Edwards who had time to emphatically pick his spot from close range.

They were now Ipswich's points to lose but they almost shot themselves in the foot midway through the second half when Gerken dallied with the ball at his feet and his attempted clearance caught Rhodes in the face and trickled just wide.

Rhodes was the obvious dangerman but he was unable to direct Spurr's teasing cross beyond Gerken minutes later.

While Blackburn shaded the chances in a largely uneventful second half, it was the home side who claimed the points with a calamitous third in the 86th minute.

Substitute Tyrone Mings' punt upfield was made more in hope than expectation, but Nouble gave chase, somehow beating Kean to the ball as Dann left it to his goalkeeper, and rolled it into the empty net.